Method for fabricating a prewired terminal block



March 11, 1969 B ET AL 3,431,642

METHOD FOR FABRICATING A PREWIRED TERMINAL BLOCK Filed April 8, 1966 Sheet 0T2 INVENTORS EUGENE R. BOLD PETER D. KREBS PATRICK E. McKEON H6. 3 BY March 11, 1969 BOLD ET AL METHOD FOR FABRICATING A PREWIRED TERMINAL BLOCK Sheet Filed April 8, 1966 United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The method of terminating multiple conductors of arcuate bank cards of telephone switches in a terminal block having terminal receiving apertures extending within the block in parallel spaced relationship, wherein a plurality of terminals are temporarily attached to a dummy card, similar in shape to the bank card, in a substantially radial array. The dummy card is then positioned in spaced relation to the first of the bank cards, and the multiple conductors are successively machine-fastened to respective terminals of the bank cards including the dummy card. The temporarily attached terminals are then removed from the dummy card and inserted into the receiving apertures of the terminal block.

This invention relates to terminal blocks and more particularly to a method for terminating the multipled banks of step-by-step telephone switches in terminal blocks.

It is known in the prior art to multiple the contact banks of step-by-step type switches automatically by machine clinching the terminals of the arcuate bank cards to'the multipling conductors; see for example, U.S. Patent 2,438,959. This method has been used in someinstances to replace the older, more time-consuming method of individually connecting each terminal to a conductor by soldering or other means.

Generally, the multiplicity of conductors which are automatically clinched to the arcuate bank cards mentioned above are terminated by running a separate cable between the last card of the multiple and a conventional terminal block, and making individual solder connections at each end of the cable. In certain instances, special arcuate bank cards have been used for termination which have, in addition to the usual clinched ending on one end, a different form of connection on the other end, for example, solderless wrap. By using these special arcuate cards as a termination for the multipled banks, the mul tipling conductors may be machine clinched to the card,

and the card can then be stacked along with other cards a of the same type, to form a termination card stack.

Each of these termination methods has certain advantages and disadvantages that the other does not have.

For instance, each card in the last-mentioned card stack can be wired automatically by a machine. This saves the time it would take to individually terminate each conductor'and it also eliminates the need for making up a cable from the final bank card of a multipled card group to a terminal block. However, each of these special cards that makes up the card stack is expensive to fabricate and can only be used in a limited number of applications.

In the first-mentioned method, on the other hand, the terminal block provides a solid structure to which to connect, and if it should become necessary to remove a conductor, it is easier to remove it from, and reconnect it 3,431,642 Patented Mar. 11, 1969 an improved method by which to terminate a plurality of conductors in a terminal block.

A more particular object of this invention is to provide an improved method for terminating a multipled group of step-by-step switch bank cards, which includes the advantages of both the above card stack method and the above terminal block method. This invention features a technique whereby clinch type terminals having solderless wrap, etc., terminal endings 0n the other end thereof, are temporarily fastened to an arcuate card similar to the arcuate cards of the stepping switches. The terminating ends of the multiple conductors for a group of multipled bank cards, are automatically clinched to the temporarily fastened terminals. The terminals are then removed from the bank card, and are inserted into a preapertured block to form a prewired terminal block. Thus, the technique of the invention accomplishes both the elimination of the need for preparing a separate cable from the group of multipled bank cards to the point of termination, and at the same time, allows for the use of the rigid, more versatile, terminal block as a termination point.

In one embodiment according to the invention, the apertures extend through the preapertured block, and the clinched terminals are inserted therein so as to protrude from the other side of the block, thereby providing terminals for making external connections thereto.

In another embodiment according to the invention a terminal for external connections has already been embedded into the block next to each aperture therein. Thus, upon insertion of a clinched terminal into the block, an electrical and mechanical connection is made with a firstmentioned terminal.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a dummy arcuate bank card to which special, clinch-type terminals are temporarily fastened according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a machine of known design used according to the invention to connect the multiple conductors for a group of multipled bank card assemblies to the temporarily fastened terminals located on a dummy bank card assembly.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one card of a dummy bank card assembly connected to a multipled bank card assembly, which illustrates how the wired terminals are removed from the dummy arcuate bank card according to the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an apertured block into which 'wired terminals of the type shown inFIG. 4 are inserted according to the invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the apertured block of FIG. 5 into which the removed terminals of FIG. 4 are being inserted.

FIG. '7 is a plan view of a portion of a dummy card from which an alternative embodiment of a special, clinch-type terminal, according to the invention, is being removed.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a modified, apertured block according to the invention, into which the terminals of FIG. 7 are being inserted.

Referring to FIG. 1 which is representative of the first step of the method according to the invention, there is shown a dummy arcuate bank card 10 with a number of special, clinch-type terminals 12, temporarily fastened thereto, with another of the same type of terminal about to be temporarily fastened to the card. The illustrated terminals have a clinching portion 13 formed with tangs 14, at one end thereof, with the other end smooth to accept a solderless wrap connection. For purposes of the present invention, however, any other suitable terminal ending may be used instead of solderless wrap. Each terminal 12 is temporarily fastened to the arcuate card by means of an eyelet 17 integrally formed with each terminal so as to laterally protrude therefrom as shown, and pressed into hole 19 in the card, and by a barb 16, which engages aperture 18 as the barb is pressed therein to prevent rotational movement of the terminal at protruding eyelet portion 17. Thus, when at a later time the terminals are removed from the arcuate card, the force needed to free the terminals will be only that which would be needed to remove eyelet 17 from hole 19.

FIG. 2, which is a cross section view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, illustrates more clearly the manner in which barb 16 of terminal 12 is hooked into aperture 18 in card 10, and how protruding eyelet 17 secures the terminal in hole 19.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic representation of a known machine 25 used to automatically multiple the contact banks of step-by-step type switches. Briefly, the machine comprises a rotary table 22 designed to accommodate on the periphery thereof, a plurality of sandwiched pairs of tip and ring contact cards such as 21. Generally, each card has ten terminals mounted thereon, but this may vary according to need. As the table rotates (see arrow), the sandwiched card pairs are respectively advanced to a clinching position 23 where, in this case, ten pairs of multipling conductors 26, being drawn from a corresponding number of spools 27, are simultaneously clinched to the terminal portions of the ten pairs of tip and ring contacts by means of cooperating punch and die members (not shown). \For details of the design and operation of the machine, reference is made to the aforementioned Patent No. 2,438,959.

It is to be noted that the use of sandwiched card pairs in the wiring machine is not a necessary requirement. A single arcuate card my be used if a single card can accommodate the number of terminals needed to accomplish a specific result.

As employed in the technique according to the invention, machine 25 is used to automatically clinch the terminating conductor ends of a group of multipled switch bank card pairs, such as 24, to a dummy card pair 28. To facilitate the connection, the dummy card pair is placed on rotary table 22 of machine 25, in the same manner as the standard bank card pair, but at a point preceding the first switch bank card pair of a multipled group.

Thus, in FIG. 3 dummy card pair 28 will precede the first card pair 24 of the group to be multipled, however long it is chosen to be. Arcuate bank card pair 21 will be the second card pair of the multiple, and so on until the last card pair is reached. If another multipled card group is to follow, another dummy card pair, such as 28, will be placed on rotary table 22 to appear at clinching position 23 immediately after the last card pair of the instant multipled group. This procedure may continue as long as multipled card pair groups are required. In this way, the machine clinching process can be a continuous one.

The separation of the multipled bank card group and its dummy card pair from the entire string of multipled card pairs will be accomplished by severing the wire conductors 26 at a point following the last switch bank card pair of the group (not shown), and before the dummy card pair at points such as 29.

After the multipled card group with its dummy card pair has been severed from a continuous string of wired card pairs, the cards comprising the dummy pair are separated.

The next step according to the invention, as illus- 4 trated in FIGS. 4 and 7, is to remove the wired terminals from the dummy cards.

In FIG. 4, only a single wired dummy card 30 of the dummy card pair 28, of FIG. 3, is shown. The first card pair 24 of the multipled group of switch bank cards shown in FIG. 3 can be seen connected by certain ones of its terminals, such as and 81, to certain ones of the terminals, such as 82 and 83, respectively, on dummy card 30. Terminals, such as 32 and 33, will be connected via conductors, such as 84 and 85, respectively, to terminals mounted on the other dummy card (not shown) of the separated card pair.

Another terminal 35 is shown in FIG. 4 being removed from card 30. The terminals may be removed manually as shown. The thumb is placed over and the forefinger beneath, the clinched portion of the terminal, and the terminal is then lifted so that eyelet 70 is popped from hole 72 and barb 71 is removed from aperture 73 in the arcuate card. As mentioned above, only a force large enuogh to overcome the force-fit hold of eyelet 70 in hole 72 is required to remove terminal 35 from card 30. Thus, the terminals may be removed without being bent or damaged.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block 40 having apertures such as 41, therein, for receiving wired terminals such as 35, shown in FIG. 4, which have been removed from a card such as 30.

FIG. 6 shows one wired terminal 51 already inserted into aperture 41 in block 40, and another terminal 53 in the process of being inserted into aperture 54 therein. Barb 55, which was already used to prevent rotational movement of terminal 53 when it was mounted on the dummy arcuate card, now acts to aid in the force-fit of terminal 53 into the apertured block. Eyelet 52, which acted to secure the terminal 53 to the dummy arcuate card, now acts as a stop to prevent the terminal from being inserted too deeply into the block.

FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of a terminal 36 which may be used in the technique according to the invention. Terminal 36 is identical to terminal 35 on the clinched end thereof, as shown in FIG. 4, however, terminal 36 has no solderless wrap, etc., portion on its other end. Instead, terminal 36 is designed to mate with terminals such at 56 shown in FIG. 8, which are each embedded into a modified block 57 next to an aperture, such as 58. As terminal 36 is inserted into aperture 58 in block 57, barb 38 is forced against the inner surface 39 of aperture 58 so as to mechanically and electrically connect the head portion 60 of terminal 36 to the embedded terminal 56. Once again eyelet 61 acts as a stop to prevent terminal 36 from being inserted too deeply into aperture 58.

Briefly summing up the steps of the above described method according to the invention, they are as follows:

(1) Temporarily fastening terminals such as those shown in FIG. 4 or 7 to an arcuate dummy card;

(2) Automatically clinching the terminating ends of multiple conductors for a group of multipled bank cards to the above-mentioned terminals;

(3) Removing the wired terminals from the dummy card by popping them off the card;

(4) And inserting the wired terminals into an apertured block provided for receiving said terminals.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made Without departing from this invention in its broadest aspects and therefore the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of terminating multiple conductors of a group of arcuate bank cards, each carrying terminals, of step-by-step telephone switches in a terminal block having terminal receiving apertures extending within said block in parallel spaced relationship, one with the other, comprising: providing a dummy arcuate card substantially corresponding in shape to said bank cards; temporarily attaching a plurality of terminals, in a sub stantially radial array, to said dummy card; positioning said dummy card, with said terminals thereon, in spaced relation to the first of said arcuate bank cards; successively machine-fastening said multiple conductors to the respective terminals of said arcuate cards including said dummy card; removing said temporarily attached terminals from said dummy card; and inserting the removed terminals into said receiving apertures of said block.

2. The method of terminating multiple conductors of a group of arcuate bank cards of telephone switches in a terminal block having terminal receiving apertures extending within said block in parallel spaced relationship, one with the other, comprising: temporarily attaching a plurality of terminals, each having a centrally located barb portion and protruding eyelet portion and a tanged end, to a dummy arcuate card by pressing said barbed portions and said eyelet portions into correspondingly sized openings in said dummy card; automatically machine clinching said tanged terminal ends to the terminating ends of said multiple conductors; removing said temporarily attached terminals from said dummy card; and inserting the removed terminals into said terminal block apertures until said barbs tightly position said terminals within said apertures and said eyelets stop further movement of said terminals into said apertures. 3. The method of terminating multiple conductors of a group of arcuate bank cards, each carrying terminals, of step-by-step telephone switches in a terminal block having apertures extending within said block in parallel spaced relationship, and having terminating pins permanently embedded within said apertures and extending from one side of said block, comprising: providing a dummy arcuate card substantially corresponding in shape to said bank cards; temporarily attaching a plurality of terminals, in a substantially radial array, to said dummy card; positioning said dummy card, with said terminals thereon, in spaced relation to the first of said arcuate bank cards; successively machine-fastening said multiple conductors to the respective terminals of said arcuate cards including said dummy card; removing said temporarily attached terminals from said dummy card; and inserting removed terminals into said receiving apertures of said block into contacting engagement with the embedded portions of said terminating pins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,727,299 12/1955 Klumpp 113-119 XR 2,815,124 12/1957 Pellier 29-630 XR 2,835,959 5/1958 Martines 113-119 XR 3,185,952 5/1965 Potter et al. 29-630 XR 3,204,328 9/1965 Klasek 113-119 XR 3,279,044 10/ 1966 Roper 29-206 3,139,610 6/1964 Crown et a1.

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT W. CHURCH, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

